THSCC Forums

I wonder what the expected life of the batteries are? I know that some of the early Honda Insights are to the point where they run on gas 90% of the time because the batteries don't hold a charge worth anything now. Honda wants about $4k to replace them too.

So the big question about the Volt is, how long (temporally or mileage-wise) will the Volt be able to get 40 miles on 1 electric 'fill up'? Let say in 8 years, you have to drop $5Gs on batteries because the batteries are only getting you 10 miles....that offsets the savings in fuel quite substantially so it might be ideal to rotate out of this car before that is necessary . I know you could technically run the car mostly on gas but I'm sure the IC engine in that thing would be very overworked moving that heavy thing around if the electric motor was not running.

And as Michael mentioned, you'd definitely want to run fuel stabilizer in this thing .

EDIT: Ok I see that it says 6000s charge/discharge cycles, so if you drove 40 miles a day and charge it every night, it's going to take 16+ years to hit that point, but as we all know, partial charges (even on lithium ion batteries) have an effect on battery longevity. Time will only tell.

_________________
2011/2012 Autox VP
2013/2014.5 President
2013 Top Gun

2015 Fit

22R-EC => 4G63 => D16Y7 + D16Y8 => EJ255 + K24Z2 => K20Z3 + K24Z2 => K24Z2 + M54 => L15B

the old insights had a pretty small hybrid system on them (IMA only boosted the peak hp by 6). I'd imagine the battery accompanying the system is pretty small as well. If I owned one, and the battery was dead, I'd say screw it and just run it without one.

That car got its mileage primarily from being small, light (curb weight of ~1900 lbs!), and aerodynamic. Even on gas 100% of the time, i'd bet it still gets 40+ mpg.

_________________
2012 MX-5 Sport SUV

Does anybody else always check out who is driving those old insights? 90% of the time it is some guy with a gray pony tail and all his clothes are from Columbia. I find that funny.

_________________
2002 MCS, 2003 MCS Track Rat, 2003 Generic White Yukon, 2003 BMWk1200rs, 1973 CB350F, 02 996. 08 Cayenne Turbo
http://www.clinehallagency.com

For sure. However, I'm not so sure the piggy Volt will be light enough for that 1.4L to move it very efficiently (I'm guessing the Volt will weight at least 3k lbs.)

_________________
2011/2012 Autox VP
2013/2014.5 President
2013 Top Gun

2015 Fit

22R-EC => 4G63 => D16Y7 + D16Y8 => EJ255 + K24Z2 => K20Z3 + K24Z2 => K24Z2 + M54 => L15B

Well I hope they do buy it. That would mean cheaper gas for the rest of us...eventuallly if not now. So I won't be harshing on any of these cars of this type. I don't feel threatened by them.

I thought the IC engine on the Volt only drives the generator for the batteries, and has no direct link to the driveline - am I remembering wrong?
Maybe I'm thinking back to the early concept designs?

_________________
One of those LeMonHeads...
91/95 Miata, 02 Focus SVT, 01 Ford F250, 09 Suzuki SV650SF
rusty 84 C4 Vette, tiny piece of the General Lei
Irish Sport Horse - 1hp NA!

This is correct.

_________________
'07, '08, '11 Autocross VP
'06, '10 Mike Dishman Cup
'21 MX5, '13 Corvette GS, '92 Corvette 383 c.i. 413whp/390wtq, '03 Expedition